


Endless Days

by DoctorMoney



Category: Kagerou Project, Mekakucity Actors
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, First Love, Magic Realism, Romance, Slow Burn, Some Humor, some mystery
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-29
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:47:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,535
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26703937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DoctorMoney/pseuds/DoctorMoney
Summary: Shintaro Kisaragi, 18, spends much of his post high school life alone until reuniting with Ayano Tateyama and developing a deeper relationship with her. In the meantime, he tries to get his life in order and find his purpose. Instead he is plagued with conflicts with her family, far-fetched dreams, and rumors of a haunted house.
Relationships: Kano Shuuya & Kisaragi Shintaro, Kisaragi Shintaro & Tateyama Ayano, Kisaragi Shintaro/Tateyama Ayano
Comments: 8
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello readers. I'm about 6 years late to the Fandom but here's my humble contribution to the amount of fics. I don't think there's anything heavy but the theme of love/relationships is central to the story. Also, this is loosely based on Agatha Christie's Endless Night, one of my favorite books from the mystery genre. Enjoy.

_A young adult was slumped over on his desk, sick of the same old lessons the school fed him every year._

_Soon, he reminded himself, he would be off to college with a hefty scholarship and no longer had to sit through repetitive lectures._

_He stretched his arms out, then rubbed his eyes, seeing an empty classroom in front of him. He must have overslept again. He shook his head to dispel some of his exhaustion and got up, slinging his backpack over one shoulder. He turned to the door and nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw a girl beside him, sitting at her desk and grabbing chunks of her hair. She had a worksheet that was, for the most part, still incomplete and filled with eraser shavings._

_“What are you doing here?” he asked._

_The girl sat up with a jolt and glanced at him. Her startled face relaxed into a sheepish expression when she saw him._

_“Oh, I was just trying to catch up on homework again. How late is it?”_

_“Homework due yesterday,” he said._

_“We all learn at different paces,” she protested, hiding the worksheet under her arms._

_“Right… What was your name again?_

_“You don’t remember who I am?” asked the girl. “It’s not the first time either. I can’t believe you still don’t remember me even though we’ve known each other for years!”_

_“Sorry,” he said._

_He found that her clothes were starting to look familiar after she spoke. There was only one person he knew who always wore a red scarf, even when it wasn’t cold, but the name was submerged under too many other thoughts and buried by his sleepiness._

_“Maybe if you woke up, you’d remember me again?” she said._

_“What do you mean ‘woke up’? I never fell a-”_

_A loud beeping noise interrupted him, and the girl fished through her pocket for her phone. As she fumbled with the screen, the noises got progressively louder and more annoying._

Shintaro Kisaragi woke up shouting “Turn it off already!” to an empty room. The beeping was close to his ear. He groaned and rolled over to shut off his alarm. He pulled the covers over his head and shut his eyes, but the sleep was already leaving him.

Why had he even set an alarm anyway? It’s not like he had anything to do all day. Nothing except ‘composing’ amateur music and browsing an anime forum.

He counted to a minute but his body didn’t feel tired anymore. There was no way for him to block out the car noises outside either. With a sigh, he forced himself to get up and tossed the blankets on the bed.

On his way to the washroom, he remembered his dream. The girl was Ayano Tateyama, one of his only friends in high school who he ended up ghosting after they graduated and went separate ways. He had initially sent a few curt replies to her first emails, but soon found socializing to be too much of a chore. By the time he decided to drop out, he stopped reading her emails altogether.

He found it a bit strange that he dreamt of her out of the blue after not socializing with anyone for so long. Maybe his subconscious was telling him to get a friend. 

Now that was a laughable thought.

He finished washing the sleep from his face and went downstairs to his kitchen counter. He filled a kettle with water and left it on the water dispenser before trudging upstairs. Having to make his own ‘breakfast’ wasn’t fun but at least living alone meant no one would invade his privacy. It was also better than going _outside_ that early in the morning to buy something.

He sat by his laptop and brought up his usual forum, skimming through the newest posts and eventually moving onto a new tab instead. He knew he should be working on his music, but he felt tired just from thinking about it. So he stared at a blank new tab with his favorite websites listed without knowing what to do next.

It took him seconds to realize he was lacking a purpose. Spending his days aimlessly wandering on the Internet only got him so far, and he wasn’t enjoying his own company either. He knew he was terrible at having fun and didn’t have enough empathy. No wonder he was always alone.

But people wanted to be his friend a few years ago. Ayano Tateyama and Haruka Kokonose were the only two, from what he recalled. Come to think of it, maybe part of his irritation towards Ayano was because he didn’t understand her desire to speak with him. At least he stayed away from Haruka enough that he didn’t drop any rude comments to the sickly student, but they were both lonelier as a result.

He suddenly remembered the kettle and dashed downstairs, taking the kettle off. He opened a container of ramen noodles and poured the water in, spilling puddles on the counter in the process. The water was overboiled and there was less in the kettle than before, but he didn’t bother boiling more.

God, he was terrible at taking care of himself.

After waiting for it to cool and wiping down the surface of the counter, he carried the can upstairs with chopsticks and sat by his computer again. Nothing was on the news, and he decided to check his email.

As he expected, all he got was a stack of unreads from Ayano and Haruka, and some promotions from the various websites he had accounts for. He opened up Vocaloid and played his new piece of music, leaning in his chair and blowing on his food as he listened.

To his surprise when he first started, he wasn’t terrible at making music. He even composed a background theme for one of his sister’s songs and got a cut of the profits. That was the only real “job” he ever had in his life.

Speaking of life, he wanted something more than living in limbo forever. He had read several biographies and speeches of famous people who talked about having a purpose. Some had begun with “It all started when…” without specifying the it. Yet they managed to hook thousands of people into their story nonetheless. There was something universal about “it” starting at a certain point. 

Well, almost universal, considering he couldn’t name anything. Was it the day he realized he was a genius? Was it when his father drowned on vacation and he lost a parental figure? Or was it the moment he met Ayano, that bizarre girl who was awfully stupid, if he was being honest. Stupid but positive, and she somehow didn’t complain during any of the tutoring sessions where he took every other minute to drop an insult about her intelligence.

When was the “it” going to start for him? He wanted to wait around for it to hit him, but he remembered what many articles on writing advice said. Don’t wait for inspiration, they advised. Just write and it’ll come to you.

Shintaro began to dread his own line of thought, knowing it was leading to a conclusion that felt at best challenging and at worst horrifying. He had to _go outside_ as the first step towards his “it.”

After a lengthy argument with himself, he finished his makeshift breakfast and went to his closet, leaving the container on his desk without turning off his computer. He picked out his signature red jersey and a random pair of pants.

Surely stepping outside for a while wouldn’t kill him. He had managed it in the past, didn’t he? He couldn’t afford to die either. If he did, his cause of death would be attributed to taking a walk. Shintaro Kisagari, the NEET who died from going outside. It would haunt him beyond the grave forever.

He got ready and went downstairs, pausing in front of the front door. It wasn’t too late to turn back. The possibility was extremely appealing to him, but the words “it all started when” kept repeating in his head. 

“It” was never going to start unless he did something, he reminded himself.

“I’m crazy for doing this,” he muttered, resting his hand on the handle.

On August 15th, Shintaro Kisaragi stepped outside for the first time in months, the blinding sun immediately striking him and injecting regret with its rays. It was almost enough to make him turn around and go back inside.

If this was what the outdoors was like, maybe he wasn’t missing out on anything after all. 

As he watched people walk past and glanced at the countless buildings in the city, he wondered what he was supposed to do now. He didn’t have any friends to visit and he wasn’t going to university. Still, he had to choose a place before people stopped to stare at him.

He chose to visit a bookstore in the end; it was one of the few locations he knew about. The library was also an option, but borrowing a book meant he had to go back outside to return it days later. One journey outside might end up being his limit, and he wasn’t planning on pushing himself so soon.

He walked past a few apartment buildings and trees, then noticed he was subconsciously retaking his former route to high school. He was tempted to visit the school building again, but he figured there wasn’t a point. Mr. Tateyama was the only teacher he knew and nothing guaranteed he was still there.

Thinking of high school reminded him of Enomoto Takane, another student he remembered. She was an insufferable brat who Shintaro made a point of avoiding as much as possible and he definitely didn’t miss arguing with her.

He turned around and took a different route, eventually ending up in an indoor bridge. He hadn’t been out for a while, but he remembered the city maps and the locations from before.

Feeling proud of himself for making it this far, he stood a bit taller as he trudged along to the subway. Only to bump into someone seconds later. 

“S-sorry,” said Shintaro.

He had run into a girl who looked his age, wearing a purple hoodie and a red jersey underneath that concealed most of her features.

“No, it was my fault,” said the girl, wasting no time walking in the other direction.

For some reason he felt the urge to glance back, wishing his first interaction with someone in person in over a year had gone better. He found himself thinking about her as he continued his walk. She seemed like she was shy, or perhaps planning something and didn’t want anyone to notice her.

As soon as his curiosity flared up, it deflated and he noticed how stupid he was being. So much for not needing social contact if he was going to make a big deal out of nothing.

As he thought back to before, he realized that having a friend group in high school was somewhat enjoyable. Yet he didn’t miss them after graduation and university didn’t give him time _to_ miss them either. He rarely replied to emails regardless, finding it pointless to keep in touch with former classmates he might never see again.

He recalled, with annoyance, Enomoto had sent him an email that installed a virus on his computer when he clicked on it. It was harmless enough but took a few hours to remove.

The sight of the subway dragged him out of his thoughts, and he openly sighed in relief. Soon he would be seated with the air conditioning blowing against his face. It would be like staying in his room, except he’d get to feel proud of it.

 _And that’s why you’re the genius,_ he thought to himself, smiling as he scanned his pass and went down the stairs.

The train came in a minute with less people than he expected, and he sped inside to make sure he’d get a seat. As he sat down by a window seat, he pulled his hood over his head and shut his eyes. Although the uncrowded car made him feel much better, the setting was nothing like his room. The air conditioning was far weaker than his own and his hopes of pretending he was still at home were ruined. 

He tried to fall asleep for the rest of the way there but the thought of missing his stop and having to spend more time outdoors returning kept him up. 

He left at his stop and someone shoved past him at the door. He felt his previous good mood dissipating like the cold air in the train. His body was stuffy under his clothes and the air was too humid for his liking. He had seen some news talking about high temperatures in the morning, but his stupid self forgot to dress lighter.

He mentally berated himself and conjured a mental list of reasons why he hated the outdoors until he got to the bookstore. He entered and was met with aisles and aisles of bookshelves filled to the brim, each one with countless stories to tell. Unlike the library, he was unlikely to see students rushing to finish their assignment using the wifi network that kept cutting out at the worst times. No panicked expressions or crying either, thankfully.

Unfortunately for him, the bookstore was still crowded and he had to be careful not to linger for long or he’d receive a bunch of “excuse me”s.

He headed to a familiar aisle, pulling out the first book that looked like it was about self help and tucking it under his arm. He doubted it would ever leave his counter for weeks, but seeing it would at least remind him of his lifestyle. He trusted it to keep him in check more than he trusted himself.

The manga section didn’t feel as appealing as he hoped, but it was better than the rest of them. The problem was that it was located on the second floor, and he wondered whether he should climb up or check out his book and go back home.

 _You’ve already gotten here, might as well check it out_ , he persuaded himself.

Getting up the stairs was enough to leave him out of breath, to his embarrassment, and he hid behind a bookshelf so no one would see his terrible physique. The bookshelf he came across stored fantasy novels, and he recalled he was mildly fond of them when he was younger.

He wouldn’t mind being transported into another world at this point. The world certainly wouldn’t miss his unproductive self. Some part of him enjoyed thinking about the possibility of another world. Maybe he had an alternate universe version of him doing much better there. Whether he would be able to stand a copy of him was another story. He used to be a major stick in the mud when it came to everything and his past self was the reason he was so terrible at socializing today, now that he thought about it.

He pulled out a random book set in medieval times and put it with the self help book. He doubted he would read much of the novel, but in the case that anyone came over, it would be a good decoration for his counters that were usually covered in soda cans. 

He moved onto the manga section and picked out a book at random. Hyouka was the name of the series, and a glance at the description told him it was about a highschool student named Hotaro Oreki who was forced to join his school’s literature club against his will and eventually started solving mysteries with the other members.

Flipping through the first pages gave him an idea of what the protagonist was like. As ridiculous as it sounded, Shintaro thought the character slightly resembled him in personality. The character was apathetic most of the time and preferred to stay home. He would have done so if it wasn’t for his older sister’s insistence that he join the club.

The last thing he expected was to leave the bookstore with two volumes of a manga and two books in his hands. He regretted not bringing a backpack as he tried to find the most comfortable position to hold everything. On his way out, he bumped into someone again and dropped everything to the ground.

 _The universe must hate me_ , he thought, sighing as he bent down to pick everything up.

“I’m sorry, let me help you,” said a feminine voice.

He assumed it came from the person who he ran into and nodded. If they thought it was their fault, he wasn’t going to disagree and risk having to pick up everything alone. He grabbed the two books and stood up while the person placed the volumes on top of his two books.

“Thank you,” said Shintaro, looking up to find that they were already gone.

He turned around and nearly dropped his books again. His heart raced at the sight of the person. Hardly believing his eyes, he silently followed her for a while to make sure it was her.

When she turned a corner, he saw her face and called out “Ayano Tateyama?” 

The girl’s shoulders shot up and she turned to face him, looking equally surprised as she met his eyes.

“Shintaro?”


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy day 1 of Shinaya week.

His first instinct was to rush over and embrace her, but he backtracked on that thought right after it popped in his head. He gave her a firm handshake instead.

“It’s good to see you again,” said Shintaro, unsure when to let go.

“It’s great to see you too! I’m happy you still remember me,” said Ayano, retracting her hand and flashing a bright smile. “I haven’t seen you since graduation, and you didn’t respond to emails that much either.”

“Yeah, I guess I got too busy, sorry,” lied Shintaro.

What would she think if he told her he became a worthless shut in?

“Don’t worry, university always gets hard, so it’s normal. What are you studying? You got a really big scholarship, didn’t you? I remember seeing you on the stage for graduation and everyone clapping for you.”

“Err…” Shintaro felt his cheeks involuntarily turn red and he became conscious of how many people could hear their conversation. “Let’s talk somewhere else. I know a good spot for private conversations.”

He led her upstairs to one of the corner aisles and sat down with her following suit.

“This is one of the aisles that almost no one goes to. At least it was in the past,” explained Shintaro.

Ayano made a noise of agreement, looking at him with her eager eyes that didn’t seem to change at all since the last time they spoke. He knew that she was still waiting for his response- he had hoped she would forget along the way- and figured that it was better to be honest. He did want to tell _someone_ about his past year.

“I don’t know how to say this, but…” Shintaro scratched his head, trying to find the best way to say it without sounding like a loser. “I dropped out in my first year. I wasn’t passionate for university and I haven’t done anything since then.”

A period of silence followed, and Shintaro felt that he disappointed Ayano in some way. That he failed a test he didn’t know he was taking.

“There’s nothing interesting about my life now,” he added, more to break the silence than anything else.

“All you need is to figure out what you’re interested in and take it from there,” said Ayano, still sounding just as cheery. “Everyone moves at different paces. Maybe it’s just because you were so far ahead in high school that you weren’t used to university. If you don’t want to study anymore, you should start researching job options nearby so you can have something to do.”

Although he didn’t process all the words, they seemed to make sense.

“You’re probably right.” It occurred to him that he hadn’t thought to ask her anything yet. “And you?”

She appeared to be surprised by the question, thinking for a few seconds before responding. “I took psychology in university and I’m _really_ feeling overwhelmed by all the work, and-” Her eyes widened in horror and she jumped up. “I was here to search for a quiet place. I need it to write my essay and I only have a few hours until the submission of my first draft...” She turned to him with an embarrassed look. “Sorry Shintaro, I liked talking to you but I need to leave.”

As she turned around, Shintaro called out “Wait!”

Some part of him expected her to dash down the stairs and disappear into the aisles, but she stopped and turned to him instead.

“Uh...I wanted to ask if- I mean, when you come here, if you do it often? I’d like to-like to see you again soon,” said Shintaro, wanting to kick himself for all the stumbling.

“I don’t visit too much, but I’ll probably _have_ to come for university again. I’ll tell you more on email tonight.” She gave a brief wave and ran downstairs.

For some reason, Shintaro was unhappy to see her go. He wasn’t exactly fond of Ayano in high school, considering his past self saw her as a major nuisance who didn’t understand basic math, but something had changed in her that he couldn’t place his finger on. He yearned to follow her and strike up another conversation, but her studying was more important.

Shintaro returned home by subway, still trying to figure out his feelings.

When he got there, he tossed the bag of books on the carpet and took off his shoes. He could almost hear his room beckoning him upstairs, and he rushed upstairs to his laptop. He checked his email first, but there were no new emails yet. 

He was disappointed, even though he knew she said she would message at nighttime. What goes around comes back around, they said. Now it was his turn to be waiting while she had better things to do.

It was just after 1 PM and he still had an entire afternoon to burn. He didn’t feel hungry either after eating ramen late in the morning.

He tried to read the manga but his thoughts continuously went to Ayano. He knew she was still in university and said she needed “a quiet place” for her essay. That was the name of a movie, but she didn’t strike him as the person who was interested in film theory. Or maybe she was taking sociology and researching a hermit lifestyle. She should have asked him for help and would have gotten a primary source right off the bat.

She seemed like she was still struggling with deadlines, and although he felt terrible for the thought, a part of his brain wondered how she was able to stay in a university class without failing. Maybe she would end up asking him for help again.

The topic caused him to feel uneasy as he remembered the times he called her an idiot, and how she only laughed it off most of the time. But one day he saw her sobbing in a classroom with a paper crane of his test, with the 100% clear in red marker. He hadn’t comforted her then out of uncertainty. 

He had no idea what to say so he walked past the classroom and pretended everything was fine. She came to school the next day as if nothing had changed, but the thought always lingered in his mind. If she was more hurt than she let on to, he sure wouldn’t have noticed.

As the guilt bubbled and rose in his stomach, he found himself googling the movie and opened a document on a separate window.

_Themes:_

_Family_

_Sacrifice_

_Love & relationship _

_A Quiet Place is a post-apocalyptic movie featuring…_

He typed up a minor summary of the plot and saved the document. Unlike his school assignments, writing about the movie wasn’t as tiring as he thought. Knowing that he was being productive for once made him feel good. 

After making sure his work was saved, he did a quick search on isolated areas near Kashiwa City and found that there was a small town on the outskirts that the subway went to. 

Was he really willing to return outside for her research paper? By the time he returned, she might be finished and it would have been a waste of a day.

 _It’s not like you have anything else to do anyway,_ he reasoned with himself.

A quick glance at the forum showed him that there weren’t any interesting posts. He had initially planned to take a nap, but guilt still lingered in the back of his mind over Ayano. He was going to do this one thing for her and it would make up for his rude behavior in the past. Then he could have free time without feeling bad.

He was out the door within a minute since he forgot to take off his red jersey when he went in. The afternoon sun was as bad as it was in the morning, but he forced himself to continue.

He was crazy for going out two times in one day, and the tombstone with “RIP Shintaro Kisaragi, died from a walk” seemed more likely by the minute. When was the last time he walked such a long distance? 

Somehow he walked to and from school every day without being as tired as he was now. He took the route so many times that he practically memorized every detail of it. There was a bridge he crossed with Ayano numerous times before they split paths and went to their homes. 

Another memory resurfaced where he shook off her hand and stormed off. He was in a bad mood that day after waking up earlier than usual. Ayano’s voice was louder than usual, her homework was easier than usual, but she had so many more questions that made him want to tear out his hair.

Had he ever apologized for anything, now that he thought about it? The guilt caused his face to get redder, and combined with the sun it made it seem like he was having a fever or heatstroke. But he had walked enough that it would take longer for him to return home than to go to the subway.

He heard himself panting and felt numerous sweat beads trickling down his neck and back. He was certain that he would die of heatstroke. His conscience had emerged from his mind at the worst possible time, and now he was going to die while Ayano wouldn’t know he planned to help her with research. 

Just when he wanted to sit down on the concrete and rest, he reached the subway at last. He staggered down the stairs, clutching the handrail tighter than usual. The air conditioning hit him and he let out a blissful sigh. He saw people glance at him before moving forwards, but he didn’t care. The town was far enough that he could sit for a while and enjoy the cool air. 

The ride was uneventful, save for the unfamiliarity of the surroundings. As far as he recalled, this was the first time he was out of the city. The forests that the train passed by after it left the tunnels were dark beyond the first trees that blocked the sunlight. He once read about people who encountered creatures hiding in the woods. The creatures mimicked people’s voices and stole their bodies so they could lure their friends in too.

He shivered and realized he was acting like a child who believed his own imagination, scaring himself for no reason. Although he never experienced it when he was younger. Maybe he was making up for the lost time now.

The subway arrived and Shintaro stepped out, noticing that the station was more decrepit than any other one he had been to. Some of the walls were covered in brown rust that he usually found in public washrooms, and there were cracks in the ceiling. Some parts had holes in them that revealed the wiring underneath, and he was surprised it hadn’t snapped yet. 

Leaving the station was like being transported to a completely different country. Instead of sidewalks and traffic lights, there was a small path that he assumed cars and people shared, with a surrounding forest that blocked out much of the sunlight. Patches of grass peeked through the cracks of the pavement, and he heard birds chirping in the trees. He wasn’t used to seeing nature outside of parks.

He made a mental note of his surroundings and went forward. The area wasn’t as dark as he expected, and the trees provided enough shade that the sun was no longer unbearable. The only annoyances were the mosquitos and flies that constantly swirled around him. He should have bought bug spray- not that he ever had any at home.

He came across a fork in the path with a sign that was too weathered for him to read. The two paths were nearly identical, and he mentally flipped a coin and decided to go left. 

A while later, it gradually became darker as the plant life increased along his way. He pulled out his cell phone to try to find the village, but he didn’t have any reception. Something in the trees could kill him and he wouldn’t be able to call for help.

He hated himself as nervousness crept up following the thought. He stiffened and walked as quietly as possible, turning around every few seconds to make sure nothing was following him.

He froze when he heard a twig snap, certain that he was going to die in the forest. Were those leaves moving because of the wind, or was someone approaching him? He wanted to run but he couldn’t muster up the courage. He shut his eyes and waited for a creature, soon opening them when he realized he wasn’t dead yet. 

Shaking his head at how ridiculous he was, Shintaro continued along the path until he reached a dilapidated house on a small hill. The house was surrounded by trees that guarded it like a moat and stopped him from going any further. From his distance to the location, he could make out the overgrown weeds in the garden and the enormous patches of moss on the walls. 

It was fairly large, with two attics on either end and at least six windows in a row between them. But the glass was gone and there were only plus signs with empty spaces. It looked more like an old castle than a house, hidden away from the world until now.

For some reason he was mesmerized by the sight, as though it was his to claim, and he went forward until the flora stopped him from going any further.

“What do you think you’re doing?” demanded a voice.

Shintaro let out a shout and shielded his face. “Please don’t take my skin! I don’t have any friends for you to trick, really! I’ll never tell anyone!”

“What on earth are you talking about, boy? Why would I want to take your skin?”

He turned to the direction of the voice, seeing a woman with dark hair so long that it resembled a hood, all held up together with a red hair band. Her voice was slightly shaky and her face had some wrinkles, as well as a noticeable patterning on both cheeks that looked like drawn-on scales.

“I-I thought that there was a creature in the woods,” said Shintaro, feeling his face go hot again.

The woman eyed him with a disapproving glance. “The only monsters you’ll find here are people who want to vandalize the area for their own pleasure. Do you know where you are?”

“No...ma’am. I was looking for the town nearby for a research project,” explained Shintaro, figuring it was better to be honest so he wouldn’t be on her bad side.

Despite her age, she had exerted an aura of authority around her and had a straight posture. Even her cracky voice was stern enough to deter Shintaro from lying to her.

“You went the wrong way then, which isn’t a big surprise. Did you bother to read the sign?” she asked.

“I tried, but I couldn’t see the words,” said Shintaro.

“These areas aren’t maintained too well, not after that house was abandoned. Do you know whose land you’re on, boy? This was my ancestor’s place once. You have no business wandering around here.”

Fearing that he had angered her, he put his hands up and explained “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I’ll leave right away.”

“My ancestor was murdered right in front of her very house because of fearful people. They called her a witch and had her killed without proof.” The woman continued as if she didn’t hear his words. “You people have no respect for tradition or property. You walk around and act it’s your own room, trample on the grass, break the windows, and then go back home like nothing happened.”

She glared at him, and Shintaro felt all the anger she had towards vandals directed at him. 

“Don’t return here, understand?”

Shintaro gulped and softly nodded, speed walking away from the house until he couldn’t see her anymore. As he recounted his encounter with the woman, he suddenly became frustrated by her words. Why did she have the right to be hostile and keep him from viewing the house? She grouped him with whatever vandals she hated even though he wasn’t doing anything wrong.

When he returned to the area, he saw her standing in the same area with a hood that covered her long hair.

“Excuse me ma’am, I wanted to ask you where th-”

The person turned around, and he flinched when he saw that it wasn’t her. There was a man with shining amber eyes and a pair of headphones under the hood. Oddly enough, he was wearing something black around his neck that was similar to a collar, with an arrow pointing downwards. He had two yellow circles under his right eye that looked like stickers, reminding him of the scales on the woman’s face. 

“Yes? Finish your question,” the man said.

“I was wondering if you knew where the town was?” asked Shintaro, hoping his voice didn’t waver too much.

“This is the only fork in the road that doesn’t have a proper sign. If you go the other way, you can find it. But does the town really interest you as much as...say, this house?” The man pointed at the area he was admiring minutes ago.

Shintaro kept silent, wondering how the man could tell.

“I’ll take that as a yes. I’ve seen many people get curious over the years, it’s normal. Although I can’t imagine why that broken pile of bricks would make anyone interested.”

“It’s way more than that!” protested Shintaro. “I’m not interested in that house now. It looks too old to be repaired, but if you were to clear a path through those trees…” -he used two fingers and made a snipping motion- “and install stairs, it would be the perfect location for a house. Out in the forest where no one can bother you, and the trees are blocking the sun too. It’s the best place for you to get away from people, and-”

Shintaro realized he was rambling to a stranger and shut his mouth, stealing a glance at the man’s reaction. He was grinning, but not laughing at him.

“I think you might be onto something. Are you interested in buying?” asked the man.

“I already have a house in Kashiwa City. I just met a woman here who warned me to never come back. If it’s her land-”

“It is not her land.” The man’s face suddenly grew colder. “She’s a local who thinks she has more authority than she does, but I’m the one who owns the land. I’ll sell it to you cheaper than what most landowners would demand. What do you say?”

His eyes narrowed and appeared predatory, as if they would devour him the moment he refused the deal.

“I-I don’t have enough money,” stammered Shintaro, wondering if he should run before the supposed landowner got offended.

To his surprise, the man chuckled. “I apologize, you must be frightened from my reaction. I just have a bad history with that woman.” He flashed what Shintaro assumed was a charming grin and revealed a few of his sharp teeth. “If you need my services or get interested in the house, contact me.”

He handed Shintaro a business card with his contact information. He only had “Kuroha” as a name without a last name, but the rest of the card looked legitimate.

“As a token of my good will, I’ll help you find your way to the town,” said Kuroha, already leading the way.

“Actually, I think I’ll just go to the subway. Thank you,” said Shintaro, watching Kuroha nod before going in a random direction and disappearing into the trees.

That was the strangest day he ever had. He stared at the business card and wanted to throw it away, but something compelled him to hold onto it. The house seemed to have a magnetic pull on him, but he couldn’t figure out what attracted him so much.

He hoped that it wasn’t too late to send Ayano his notes.

* * *

_9:04 PM._

_Dear Ayano,_

_Here are some notes I wrote for “A Quiet Place” and my experience travelling to a quiet town on the outskirts of Kashiwa City. I hope you’ll find it useful._

______________________________________________________________________

_12:01 AM_

_Shintaro?! Please tell me you didn’t actually go out of the city for that I’m so sorry_

_By “a quiet place” I meant I needed a place to study not the actual movie_

_I just handed in my paper at the last minute and I know this is really late for you but I’m going to the bookstore at the same time as today_

_I’ll be in the spot you showed me_

_See you then and thank you so much_

Shintaro cracked a smile at her thinking it was late, recalling many of his nightly anime binges in the past. It was the only part that he found amusing while the rest of the email made him want to bang his head against the wall. At least he didn’t feel bad over high school anymore.

He wondered what he would say to her tomorrow, already preparing numerous conversation topics as he went to bed. He was going to ask her about her studies, maybe their mutual friends, and her friends now. Then he would recount his journey through the woods, how he met the elderly woman, how the real estate developer got excited, and…

Shintaro was soon fast asleep.


End file.
